Health Savings Plans Let Firms Shift More Costs to Workers

Businesses are increasing the use of high-deductible health insurance plans paired with savings accounts to shift more costs to American workers.

The number of people using high-deductible health insurance with a savings account option rose to more than 11.4 million as of January, compared with 10 million a year earlier, a 14 percent increase, according to a June report by America’s Health Insurance Plans in Washington. Use of these plans with so-called HSAs, which generally require consumers to pay more out of pocket and let them save for medical expenses in their own accounts, has jumped about 87 percent since 2008, said AHIP, a trade group representing insurers.